


Chronicles of War: Mad Eye Moody

by LoonyQuills



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Aurors, Blood and Gore, Character Death, F/M, First War with Voldemort, Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter), Original Character Death(s), Recovery, War, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2019-01-06 05:57:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12205218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoonyQuills/pseuds/LoonyQuills
Summary: The tale of how Alastor Moody gained his famous nick name.Troubling intel has reached the Ministry of Magic concerning a sinister plot of Lord Voldemort to display his power. Alastor Moody is charged with the task to impede this scheme and prevent a massacre during the height of the first wizarding war.





	1. The Gathering Storm

 

It was an unusual mild evening for the season and especially so far up north. A silent "plop" flicked through the air and nothing visibly changed… Under the invisibility cloak Alastor Moody walked along the sparsely illuminated main road of the tiny village towards the slope of a steep mountain. On the brink of the village he turned around and scanned the scene ever watchful and ensuring that no unwanted pair of eyes watched the way he planned to take. For a moment he held his breath to hear every noise in the clear night, but all there was to hear were the tiny waves hitting the shore of the loch beneath the village. Moody breathed out slightly more relaxed and turned around to continue his way up the steep path. Against the moonlit horizon the ruin of a manor throned over the vale and the lake which, even though it was abandoned since a century had a bad reputation around here. The family who once lived there was said to be involved with the devil and after they left no one dared to enter the house for decades. One bold young lad had once climbed the slopes of the mountain and entered the house to impress his sweetheart. When he failed to return the terrified girl called upon the police to retrieve her fiancée, but all they found was a mangled old man cowering in the shadow of the old stone walls who was unable to remember his name nor the year he lived in. However he wore the exact same clothes the girl described her betrothed to be wearing when he left. After weeks of fruitless searching, the young man was declared dead and the villagers’ fear of the old house grew even stronger. No one since had set foot through the front gate or dared climb up the mountain.

Alastor Moody did not believe any of those stories, mostly because he had spent much of his life living in just that ruin. But of course for him it was no such thing. He knew exactly how to pass the defensive charms and curses and how to enter the house which was in perfectly good condition once the illusion was penetrated. Without the hint of a noise he walked through the gate and unlocked the front door with a rusty silver key. The entrance hall was dusty and cold and even the golden light, that sparked up after a swish of Moody's wand could not completely vanquish the eerie atmosphere. Moody dropped his invisibility cloak over a shillelagh walking stick in an umbrella stand beside the door and groaned tiredly. He walked up some creaking stairs, through another large parlour into an old bathroom. Another swish of his wand illuminated the white tiled room and he looked into the mirror.  
"Another one…" he growled slightly amused and traced a fresh red scar in his face.  
"If you're not more careful this is the least you have to worry about...damn Inferi." He added and splashed his face with a handful of ice cold water. It burned, but he did not take much notice of it so tired he was. Four days had passed since he had allowed himself some sleep…and even then it had only been a brief nap on the cot in his office. With a deep longing for some hours of rest he approached his bed in the large bedroom, studded with sneakoscopes, secrecy sensors and other dark protectors. All he managed to do was to take off his shoes and the jacket before falling into the sheets and drowning in sleep.  
After what felt like mere seconds Alastor opened his eyes with a squint due to a bright light hovering above him. It didn't take him long to realise that it was a patronus. While shielding his eyes from the brightness he sat up with a yawn and shook his greying blonde mane. As though the charm had waited for just that moment it took the shape of a Lion and began to speak with the voice of none other than Rufus Scrimgeour.  
"Alastor, we need you back in the office. Please come as soon as you can for a matter of the utmost urgency. Meet me in Barty Crouch's office." Once the message was issued the charm dissolved into silver steam. Moody got up with an exhausted groan and looked at his pocket watch. Five hours had passed. More sleep than the last two weeks added up. He reached for a bottle with a turquoise potion in it while his cloak put itself around Moody's shoulders. He shook his head and slapped himself several times as the strengthening solution began to kick in. With another yawn he made his way downstairs, out the front door and the gate. The moon had set and the sky took a silver grey tone in the quickly approaching dawn. After scanning the surrounding area thoroughly Moody vanished with a "plop".

The empty atrium had become a familiar sight to Alastor. He usually was one of the first to arrive and the last to leave…that is if he left at all. During the past months his office had become more of a home than his actual house… With burning eyes he crossed the dark hall and entered the lifts at the other end.  
"If only my eyes could ignore the absence of proper resting…" He thought and closed both while the lift rattling changed floors. "Level two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement incorporating the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters and-" but Alastor did not wait to let the cold female voice finish her announcement. He knew it all to well and instantly made his way to the office of Barty Crouch, head of Magical Law Enforcement. He knocked twice, didn't wait for an answer and entered only to find the room empty.  
"Mister Moody, Mister Moody!" sounded a high and somewhat trembly voice behind him. "I'm so glad you are here, the meeting was relocated to Minister Minchum's office." Moody turned around and arched a brow. For a moment he wanted to question the young secretary about this change, but in the end he felt to leached out and that whippersnapper would probably not know the answer anyway.  
"Aha." He growled with a nod and walked back to the lift to enter the first level.  
Three people looked up when Moody walked into the opulent office of the Minister. Harold Minchum, minister for magic, Barty Crouch head of magical law lnforcement and Rufus Scrimgeour, head Auror.  
"Ah, Moody at last." Said Crouch.  
"We've been keenly expecting your arrival." Moody nodded to each of the three men  
"I only received your message twenty minutes ago Scrimgeour, what's the matter?"  
It wasn't Scrimgeour who answered  
"Nott one of his followers, whom you captured last week. I questioned him this night and he has revealed some…extremely worrying information." Said Barty Crouch with a lithic face.  
Moody looked at the trio with arched brows in keen expectation, but no one looked as if they actually wanted to speak the news out loud.  
"Well?" He asked after a moment.  
"What is it he revealed or am I to guess it out of the blue?!" Asked Moody visibly annoyed by this dramatic secretiveness. "He," said Minister Minchum, his face buried in both hands due to fatigue or horror.  
"He-who-must-not-be-named is planning a…a massacre. We suspected this for a while but, this new information puts in perspective just how powerful he really is."  
Moody closed his eyes in growing impatience. He loathed this behaviour. All three leading members of the opposing force to Lord Voldemort knew of some imminent danger and yet seemed to hold off the point of the matter for mere dramatic effect.  
"Tell me what is going on, I haven't got the energy to play the guessing game this morning." For the first time Scrimgeour spoke.  
"Sources report that routs of trolls are moving in from the continent. Sightings of known Werewolves have flown in since days around Dover; a full moon is approaching and we were notified of several Dementor attacks close to the city. All kinds of dark creatures are gathering around and a massive storm front has built over the north sea during the last night. This isn't a coincidence, we are certain they will strike somewhere around there within days. Nott has confirmed most of our assumptions. We need to act immediately." Something caught Moody's attention during this report and he frowned visibly.  
"How can you rely on Nott's information? Might be a simple diversion to focus our attention to the wrong place."  
"We know for certain that he told the truth." Said Scrimgeour dryly and his eyes scurried over to Crouch.  
"How can you be so sure unless…you used Veritaserum?" Asked Moody sceptically.  
"No, not Veritaserum." Said Crouch stiffly and took a breath before handing a scroll of parchment bearing three Ministry seals to Moody.  
"I have issued a decree which allows the Aurors and selected members of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement to use the unforgivable curses. Nott testified under the Imperius curse around three o'clock this morning."  
Moody's frown deepened and his eyes scanned the scroll.  
"Hm." He growled and chewed on his lip for a moment.  
"Alastor…we have to stop him." Said Minchum with trembling voice.  
"We can't let him massacre an entire town." The Minister's face looked like he was about to burst into tears and his skin had taken the colour of parchment. After a while Moody straightened his back and cleared his throat.  
"So…what's our plan?" The minister looked at Barty, who in turn looked at Scrimgeour.  
"We thought to place you in command of the operation." He said.  
"Half of the Aurors who are currently in the office are yours, in addition we will mobilise the magical law enforcement patrol as well as our best Hit Witches and Wizards."  
"And we have almost all the wizards of the Being division and the best of the Beast division of the Department for Regulation and Control of magical Creatures." Added Crouch with grim seriousness.  
"Permission to kill is granted to every member of the operation. We need to prevent this catastrophe at all costs." As Crouch spoke Minchum nodded in agreement.  
"We need this victory Alastor." He said desperately.

The ministry of magic was notorious for its slow bureaucratic processing of any kind of information, but under Barty Crouch at least one of its Departments had undergone a severe transformation into an effective apparatus. Within mere hours the Head of Department gathered trustworthy employees who thoroughly investigated every single member of the operation before briefing them. Unfortunately this scrutiny caused several cuts in numbers. Moody agreed to that in order to keep the operation as secret and safe as possible. The Department for Magical Law Enforcement sowed subtle rumours, that it concentrated its forces on Scotland to prevent a threatening revolt of Banshees. Barty Crouch ordered many members of sub departments of magical law enforcement and regulation and control of magical creatures northward around Glasgow and Edinburgh under the code name "Operation Demiguise" while the true focus was set on the coasts between Dover and Ramsgate.

Alastor Moody yawned and leaned so far backwards over his chair that his back cracked loudly. After letting out a tired but somewhat relieved groan he straightened up and finished a brief letter, sealed it and handed it over to a large golden-red bird. "Off with you before someone notices." He growled and gestured to the phoenix before it disappeared with a fiery flash. At least the order knew what was going on now although he didn't expect anyone to show up. In fact he didn't want anyone, because it was a very dangerous mission and the ranks of the order shrank by the day.. If he was bluntly honest with himself, he didn't feel up to the task. His fatigue gnawed on him since a week now and the constant consumption of strengthening solution and invigoration draughts began show their long term effects, but it was simply impossible to refuse command of this operation. It was too important and if he showed the slightest sign of weakness the death eaters would wonder if the ministry's most reliable Aurors were breaking down and in turn become even bolder. Not even five minutes had passed when another fiery flash sparked through Moody's office and and small scroll adorned with a red feather dropped onto his desk. He opened it and read:

_Thank you Alastor, unfortunately we have almost no one to spare at the moment, but I believe Frank and Alice are under your command._

_Albus_

Moody took a deep breath and looked up just as a scarlet memo flew through the open door and unfolded itself on his desk:

_To A. Moody:_  
_Marching order for operation Demiguise. 25th of May 1978, 7:30 pm._  
Signed:  
H. Minchum, Minister for Magic  
B. Crouch, Head of DMLE  
R. Scrimgeour, Head of Auror Office

"So…off we are.." growled Moody and sighed heavily.  
"I wonder how many will return." He pointed his wand to one of his cabinets and about one hundred memos left the office heading for every member of Operation Demiguise.


	2. The Deep Breath Before The Plunge

The residents of the small town of Gelling's Cove knew the strange moods of the weather in April all too well. No one batted an eye when thick clouds mounted up over the growingly wild sea. Things like these happened regularly and everyone was well prepared for stormy weather, but even the eldest locals couldn't recall such an oddment in the climate. A few miles out on the sea grey and dark violet clouds piled up like a tropical storm and even though a strong wind came from the water the clouds didn't move. Suddenly one morning the whole bay was engulfed in thick cold fog, that smothered all noises and a sense of sorrow and despair fell upon everyone. The birds were the first to stop singing and began to leave in swarms; the anglers didn't catch a single fish with their rods and something ripped all their fish traps. Then the telephones acted up: crackling lines, hour long periods of no service or misconnections when dialling. And as if that wasn't enough, plenty of strangers were seen around town; shady individuals who looked oddly wild and rough. Some of them loitered in the streets during the dim daylight and before dusk they disappeared again. Campfires could be seen on the surrounding hills and in the woods. Everyone got very uncomfortable and avoided being outside after dark. Some said that they saw strange folk sneaking around houses…weird and misshaped silhouettes which didn't seem quite human. The whole town turned in a grotesque garish place within days.

~

A man in dark robes kneeled in a dark room many miles away. His eyes stared at bare feet as white as snow with long nails and a shiver ran down his spine once the other man to whom the feet belonged to spoke. "What do you have to tell me Rosier?"   
"My lord," began the man called Rosier. "Rookwood said that he believes the ministry knows of our plan to attack in the southwest, but I have reason to think differently." A short pause filled the room with smothering silence.   
"And why do you doubt Rookwood's word Rosier?" Asked Voldemort.   
"My source in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement said the Ministry is focussed on the border of Scotland because of an uprise of banshees. Rookwood works in the Department of Mysteries and I don't think the rumours he picks up are reliable. Crouch is as careful as never before to prevent leaking of any information about his operations. Besides, I came by several documents of the department and they confirm that banshees are rallying near Glasgow."   
"Very well, you seem well informed." Hissed Voldemort.   
"I trust your judgement… You have served Lord Voldemort a great deal in the recent past. This deserves a reward. Rise." Rosier rose to his feet and he straightened his back in expectation.   
"You will lead the advance on that muggle town. I allow you to choose your companions among the Death eaters. Yaxley said the giants are ready and thirst for blood, as are the werewolves. You will strike tonight. Be sure of Lord Voldemort's help." Rosier hesitated, then he looked up at his master with a thankful expression.   
"D-Does your lordship say he will grant us the honour to fight alongside us, his most loyal servants?" Voldemort's lips split into a cold cheerless smile.   
"No." He said, amused.   
"But I shall send you help on other ways. Go now Rosier."

~

Alastor Moody looked up from his desk upon hearing a knocking on his door.   
"Who there?" He asked as usual.   
"Frank." Said a muffled voice from outside.   
"Come in." said Moody and got up. The door swung open and Frank Longbottom came in, followed by his wife Alice, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Gawain Robards, Lucinda Williamson, Elvira Mallory and Alvina Enderby.   
"Hm." Growled Moody and swished his wand to conjure seven chairs.   
"Sit." He commanded, but before they could so much as move one inch a large map unrolled on the back wall of the office and Moody continued.   
"Right, here is the mission. This evening we are all apparating to the town Gelling's Cove. You all know what is likely to await us there and I have chosen you to help me in coordinating this operation. Once we are there Kingsley and Elvira will team up with the leaders of Beast and Being control west of the town. Try to keep as many of them away from the town as you can, but be careful, it is full moon. If there are trolls, leave 'em to the zookeepers."   
Zookeepers was the nickname the Aurors had for members of the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Kingsley and Elvira, a slender woman with neck long white blonde hair and eyes similar to a hawk nodded in agreement.   
"Werewolves have priority for you…" Here he paused for a moment and raked his fingers through the greying blonde hair mane.   
"You are instructed to kill transformed werewolves on sight…" Moody's discomfort concerning this was quite plain. However after a moment he regained his composure and went on.   
"Alvina, you are in charge of the law enforcement patrol. We're going to arrive in the city centre and I want protective charms over as many houses as possible especially on the borders. After that you will man the outskirts of the town." The oldest woman in the room, Alvina Enderby was a small somewhat chubby witch with short white curls, dressed in a tweed skirt with fitting blouse and cape.   
"Gawain I want you patrolling the main road and the coast with some Hit witches and wizards, watch out for dementors…I believe they'll try to flank the residents from the water. Better to have patroni alongside you at all times." Gawain, a tall and strongly built man with short dark hair and dark eyes grumbled in agreement.  
"Right, Lucinda, Frank and Alice you are with me and the rest of the team to find and hunt down death eaters. As you know Crouch issued the permission for us to use the unforgivable curses. You know my motto, but I'd rather see them all dead than loosing one of you, so you're only restricted by your conscience." Moody sighed and took a deep breath.   
"Are there any questions?" He asked. Involuntarily he felt like the room around him was spinning and he leaned onto his desk while reaching into his cloak for his hip flask with a specially strong invigorating draught. "Um, I have…two questions actually." Said Alice Longbottom and concern shrouded her face.   
"Are there any healers present? I mean not only if one of us gets injured, but what if they succeed in targeting muggles? Secondly Alastor…a-are you quite alright?"   
Moody's entire body shook due to the effect of the potion and his eyes seemed to pour out of their sockets. He straightened up with a slightly yellow tan in his face.   
"Yes I'm fine it'll be over in a second, no trouble." He answered barshly. "Unfortunately we don't know how much the St.Mungo is watched by the enemy. Relocating Healers who are desperately needed already would raise suspicion and could compromise the operation. We are dependent on ourselves and our healing abilities. Anything else?" He asked with such a grim expression that no one else raised an issue.   
"Off with you then, and to your allocated teams. We are leaving at seven thirty." He bellowed and watched his squad leave the office. As soon as Kingsley closed the door behind him Moody's eyes wandered to the clock… quarter past seven. With a whipping motion he conjured a basin of water and a glass. He emptied the glass quickly and then dived his head into the clear liquid; then he gulped down another draft from his hip flask and left the room.

7:29 and twenty seconds, twenty one, twenty two… He stood in a dome like room with all members of his department who were involved in the Operation. Moody stared at his watch and almost held his breath. Thirty seconds.   
"Everyone ready?!" He asked loudly and looked into the round with about a hundred faces looking back at him.   
"Constant Vigilance! On three: One, Two, THREE!"   
A series of "plops" sounded through the room and a mere second later it was empty after about fifty wizards and witches disapparated.


	3. The First Hammer Blow

At 7:29 in the evening precisely a man arrived on the town square in the western quarter of Gelling's Cove, but he didn't just arrive, he literally seemed to manifest out of the fog exactly in the centre of the square. Lanterns spread dim light through the thick white curtains of sea mist. For a moment he turned left and right, then one after the other the lights of the street lanterns vanished with a hiss followed by silence. One "plop" sounded over square, then "plop, plop, plop" many more followed and within seconds round about a hundred people filled the cobbled place.   
Alastor Moody turned his head in all directions with bated breath before he looked at the seven persons closest to him. "All of you know where your places are. Kingsley, Elvira, the Zookeepers will arrive in trhee minutes and forty three seconds just west of the town. Perhaps this fog will keep the sky hidden and we'll have less trouble with werewolves… Go. Everyone follow their allocated leaders. Whoever is with Frank, Alice and me will stay here. And keep it down. Lucinda you and your people will patrol the streets in the south."  
Whispering followed Moody's orders and after a moment the crowd dissolved until about twenty remained.   
"Gather around." Growled Moody.   
"I know that you all know the objective, but to clarify again, we are here to keep any death eaters or other cooperators of the enemy in check. I doubt that they will try to storm the village alongside the werewolves. It is more likely they will apparate directly into the town. With so much movement of other dark creatures around here I doubt that He would send many of his most trusted ones, but you never know. We are twenty one, so I want seven groups of three just off the main roads. Stay hidden until you see movement. Alice, Frank you are with me and I want one other group watching this square. Swarm out…oh and Constant Vigilance!"   
The groups formed almost without any words and they split up, hiding between houses and in small alleys directly or between the larges streets. The remaining six withdrew into the shadows between the bordering houses and waited.   
Half an hour passed, then an hour. Moody kept looking at his pocket watch. He was tense, ears focussed on the slightest noise. At around nine o'clock a breeze that quickly turned into strong wind began to whisper from the hills. Bit by bit the fog dissolved and the clouds burst, revealing a full moon that dived the whole place in silver light. Suddenly without warning a loud and fierce howl pierced the night. Then another and another until a chorus of howling echoed down from the hills. A moment later they heard chaotic voices, howling, shouting: the fight had begun. As if on command the wind turned and the sea awoke with gurgling waves crashing onto the coastline. A new storm front quickly approached from the water, now and then highlighted by lighting and accompanied by deafening thunder. Whipping rain started to pour down, ice cold and so strong that they were drenched within seconds. Moody looked up at the storm battered sky and his heart sank. Against the repeatedly lit sky he saw tall silhouettes. Hooded in long black robes more than a hundred Dementors came swarming down. Silver figures of light in the shapes of animals flew towards them from the promenade, but there were too many to hold them back for long. Just in that moment people appeared on the streets. Clad in dark cloaks and masks they appeared wands at the ready. Before the Aurors could react they began to send curses arbitrarily against houses, cars, anything that was within reach. There were many. They blasted doors open and raided through houses. Screams filled the air and as if a hex was lifted the town awoke. Moody stormed out of cover and sent one of the attackers flying against a streetlight. Frank and Alice followed him and instantly got involved in fierce duels. From other corners of the square they saw lights flashing and curses flying as the others attacked the death eaters. Luckily their presence came as a surprise to the enemies and they pushed back the opposing force from the town. Still fighting on the square, Moody dodged a green light that was aimed for his head and barked: "Stupefy!".   
But the spell was deflected and countered by a silver blast which exploded into thousands of bright sparks once it hit Moody's shield. Another death eater came to the aid of his comrade. Both fired curses of green and purple as they approached Moody aggressively and again he evaded the deadly curse before deflecting the second attack with his wand. It hit one of his foes right into the chest and he fell to his knees making a horrible slurping noise while his skin cracked open and peeled off. Alice Longbottom, who had defeated her opponent came to Moody's aid and both cast spell after spell at the second death eater. Seeing his partner slowly dissolve into a lump of frazzles and facing now three Aurors, Frank had won his fight with a bloody lip and joined the others, he escaped. Seeing their comrades overrun, the main host of Deatheaters began to fall back, trying to cover their retreat while more fell victim to hostile spells and curses.   
For the moment the city centre seemed secure and the main battle seemed to take place outside the town. "We have to go and help them!" Said Frank and looked west from where loud clamour sounded.   
"Aye," said Moody.   
"But we need some to keep the damn Dementors in check. Someone has to go, get Gawain and his lot here."   
"I'll do it." Said Alice.   
"I'll go and get them and then I'll try and find you."   
"A-Alice-" began Frank, but after turning to Moody who looked to agree with her, Alice pulled her husband into a kiss and said   
"I'll find you, don't worry." Then she turned around and ran in direction of the promenade.   
"Come on, we have no time to lose." Said Moody and the two hurried into the opposite direction. On the way they passed several severely damaged houses, screaming muggles ran around and the dead body of a man lay in the middle of the street with blood pouring over his chest out of a gash in his throat. It was hard for them to cut loose from that horrific scene, but another much worse unfolded around the next corner. A young girl, no older than fifteen leaned against a burning car, her dead eyes staring right at them while a figure with long limbs and snout with sharp fangs dug its claws into her stomach. With a snarl the werewolf turned around and blood dripped from its mouth. Upon seeing Moody he leapt forward but before his long claws could reach out for him he was struck by a bright blue light which hurled him back against the car where he sunk down motionless. Frank's curse had knocked the beast straight out and with another flick of his wand he conjured up yellow fizzing ropes that tied all around the wolf's body.   
"Thanks for that." Said Moody. "But we have to go on."   
He put a hand on Frank's shoulder who was staring at the girl while his wand still pointed at the beast, and pulled him away. Two streets further they ran into Kingsley and a handful of other witches and wizards, all looking very tattered.   
"Kingsley, what is going on?! The centre is under control but it looks like the-"   
"Giants…" gasped Kingsley. His forehead glittered from sweat and a thick cut stretched over his right eye.   
"What?!"   
"Giants." He repeated.   
"Merlin's beard! How many?!" Asked Moody and gritted his teeth tensely.   
"We counted three, but there might be more." Moody looked around to see if the area was safe. This new turn of events made it seem impossible to prevail and for a moment his heart sank.   
"Tell me what happened…" He growled, his eyes kept flickering from left to right, ever vigilant.   
"First the werewolves came…For a while we held them back but then the giants appeared out of the forest and from the hills. We tried to blind one with conjunctivitis curses, but missed. Then they broke through, we scattered and fell back behind the first row of houses." Moody took a while before responding.   
"Where did you see them last?" He asked. "Some streets in that direction." Said Kingsley and pointed left.   
"Very well then, we're all going together. If we don't put a stop to them, the whole town will be rubble in the morning. Kingsley you're leading us and I want three people guarding our rear at all times. Onwards!"   
The group began to move in direction of the giants. They hadn't come far though, when round about two hundred Dementors came descending from the windswept sky. Tall and with rattling breath they circled the Wizards and hovered closer and closer.   
"Form a circle! Patroni, now!" Shouted Moody.   
"Expecto Patronum!" They chanted as one and silver figures broke out of the tips of their wands. The magic guardians drove away several at once but more came soon. To his left Moody saw Kingsley's lynx charging at three Dementors at once but the strength of the light began to fade. Slowly but steadily they tightened the circle and one after the other the patroni expired. Coldness engulfed the group and a sense of defeat sank in on everyone. Here and there one or the other blasted a stream of silver light, but there were too many. More and more Dementors came down and began to circle above their heads as well. Darkness fell and all hope faded. Moody felt one of the zookeepers sink down behind him, then another. All was lost. Their sight dulled and limbs went numb, so much that it took them a moment to register what happened when fifty white flashes of light broke the circle. Moody, who together with Kingsley and Frank was the last one to still cast charms, turned around and could now see Gawain Robards and his force storming up the street accompanied by Alice Longbottom. The Dementors flew into all directions and the small group drew new hope.   
"Frank!" Shouted Alice and ran to her husband who had lost all colour in his face. "That was just in time…" he muttered and hugged her.   
"Aye!" Moody agreed "Always there to save the day Robards. Good. We need as many as we can get, there are giants about." "Giants-" Robards started, but Moody interrupted him.   
"No time to explain now, just come along. We need everyone!"   
Robards nodded and they rushed on. It did not take long for them to find the first giant. Large, ugly and armed with a huge studded club, he spent his time using cars as footballs and kicking them into nearby houses. As soon as he spotted the group of wizards he sent a car flying directly into their midst. Screaming they fled into all directions and took cover.   
"Aim for his face!" Shouted a witch from the Beings division and shot a red light, at the giant's nose. He howled and hurled his club into the air before it flung down onto the road where she stood. She rescued herself with a dive behind a bus station. The other wizards began to cast spells and jinxes into the giant's face, without visible effect. With a sudden and utterly unexpected move the huge monster leaned forward and grabbed Alice, while a firework of curses bounced off his huge hand. She screamed and they heard a nasty crack ripping through the air. The giant threw his head back and roared furiously. Moody took that opportunity. Over the hysteric voices of all the others he thundered: "Avada Kedavra!"   
A flash of green light shot past the giant's hand between the two rows of chunky dark teeth and hit his palate. For a moment he seemed to freeze, then he fell onto his knees and forward onto the middle of the road. His paw relaxed and Alice crawled away from the dead body, her leg abducted in a strange angle.   
"Alice!!" Frank stormed forward and helped his wife up. Everyone stared at Moody, but he wasn't bothered, after all they had permission to kill and if he had to decide between one of his junior aurors or that then there was no choice to be made.   
"She needs to get out of here." Said Frank "I need to get her away from here."   
"No," said Moody barshly. "Not you, I need you here." He waved one of Robards's hit wizards over.   
"Take her to St. Mungo's."   
"I-I can manage." Said Alice and gently put some weight in the shattered leg, causing her face to go green.   
"Yes, I see that." Said Moody. "Someone will go with you, but I can't loose you Frank." Frank looked as though he was about to protest, but his wife stroked his cheek and forced a smile.   
"Just make sure to come back to me yes? As quick as you can." He nodded begrudgingly and kissed her briefly, before she and the other wizard disapparated. Knowing his protege in safety the matter at hand demanded Moody's attention again and he turned around to face the crowd of witches and wizards. Some still looked unsettled having seen the Auror using the killing curse. "I see now we need to split up. Groups this big are too easily spotted by these." His head jerked in direction of the dead giant.   
"Split into tree groups and if you find one…kill it. I don't want any more casualties or cases like Longbottom." Many did not seem too happy about this, but witnessing Alice's near death was terrifying enough to follow Moody's orders. The crowd split into seven more or less equally manned groups and dispersed into all directions.


	4. The Tides of War

  
The battle riot continued through the night, but the ministry managed to contain the main destruction to the westernmost district. However in this area chaos and bloodshed was at large. Overturned cars, houses on fire, craters in the streets, rampaging werewolves feasted on the dead and the living, ghouls appeared out of the sewers and red caps looted abandoned houses.   
The remaining Aurors had established a safe point to gather in a boat house close to the battlefront. It was guarded by as many protective charms and spells they could perform in the ongoing chaos. Apparently the Death eaters managed to prevent any outsiders to enter the area, for even though several people had disapparated to get help, no other forces arrived. A few moments ago a wounded Kingsley had returned from another raiding patrol.   
"We killed another giant…" he had said. To the question where the rest of his squad was, he simply shook his head and sank down on pile of ropes. More cuts and bruises adorned his face and the seam of his robe was burned. After examining him for a moment Moody had sent him away to safety. From his seven commanders four remained. Kingsley and Alice had gone and Lucinda Williams went missing. Elvira Mallory and Alvina Enderby left for another raid some two hours ago. Frank, Gawain and he himself were in the base tending to the many wounded. Slowly but steadily the thought that this battle might be lost burned itself into Moody's head. With unsteady hands he rummaged around in the pockets of his cloak for the small hip flask. Upon finding it, he emptied it in one go and felt the now all too familiar refreshing sensation seeping down into every corner of his body. Without warning the front door of the boat house blasted open and a figure came stumbling in before breaking down in the room. Thirty wands pointed at him when he looked up into Moody's stressed face. For a moment he tried to speak but couldn't get the words in order.   
Then he blurted: "They are coming! We're surrounded!" and fainted.   
Movement came to the group of fifty wizards and hectic whispering, some cried.   
"Alright. Oi listen! Silence!!!" Shouted Moody and everyone froze.   
"Undoubtedly we are outnumbered and… this place is about to be overrun. Those who can't stand or walk will leave as long as they still can. From the others I have to ask something very difficult. I ask you to stay and make a stand! I know you're scared, would be stupid not to be, but we can't just withdraw and leave the place to be ground to pieces. You've seen the horror of what's to come should we retreat! We have to dare the flight forward and do the job!" His eyes wandered over the throng of demoralised and battered fighters.   
"Prepare to make off in five minutes!" He added and turned to oversee the leaving of the ones too severely injured to stay. On his way a middle aged witch with short black curls caught up to him and stopped him. "Please mister Moody…" she said with tears in the corners of her eyes.   
"I have children…l-let me leave. I'm not an Auror… please let me go." He had feared something of the kind might happen. Being begged to let some of them off.  
"Sorry, but-"   
"They are with their nan and my husband is…they only have me. They need me." She interrupted. A pause set in, in which the hasty shouting and pattering of feet felt like fanfares in Moody's ears.   
"If I start letting people off who are not injured, others will leave too and this town will be the first of many of Voldemort's massacres."   
"But I need to be with my chil-"  
"You need to do your job! If not for the lives of everyone here then…for your family! What if we leave and they are the next to be trampled by giants or torn apart by werewolves?! Huh, huh?!" The witch flinched and took a step back, pale and shocked by Moody's sudden outburst of anger.   
"You're staying." He said with unquestionable finality.   
As soon as the last invalided had gone he hurried back to the front of the division where Frank and Gawain already waited. Both looked at him grimly but ready.   
"Right! We will engage in formation this time. Four groups of…" His eyes flickered over the others while counting…52.   
"Thirteen in three rows of four people each with one ahead as team leader." While the units formed Moody turned to Gawain and Frank.   
"I want you two as team leaders so choose one group each. Do not break formation." Both nodded and went off to take command of a team.   
"Everyone sorted? Good. This slaughtering scum is most likely waiting right out there to break out defense." He pointed over his shoulder towards the front door.   
"Now, here is what we'll do. The four groups will march beside each other and head towards the west quarter. Step by step we'll push them back until they are out of the city. Watch over the person next to you and have each other's backs. Take a deep breath and give them all you got… Forward!" Moody turned around and pointed his wand at the door. It flew open and out of its hinges. They marched forwards out of the bashed building all in formation and daunting to behold. In a diameter of five meters runes were carved into the ground and the remains of several enemies who had tried to cross the protective line lay scattered. As soon as they left the circle howls echoed through the streets and eyes flashed open in the darkness. Werewolves launched towards them, apparently waiting for new victims to leave the sanctuary.   
"Stay in formation!" Commanded Moody and stunned one of the attackers. In this united form it proved nearly impossible for the beasts to get close to them. Every time they tried, a hail of curses broke loose and forced them squealing to retreat a bit further. Along the way they sealed as many openings to the sewers as they could find and expelled looting red caps from the ruins of houses. They bypassed the huge corpse of a giant surrounded by dead wizards in the front yard of a single family house. Undoubtedly the scene where half an hour earlier Kingsley had fought.   
Once they reached reached the town square they encountered another conspecific, an axe as long as a bus in both hands. "Surround him!" Shouted Moody as they began to pepper the giant with all kinds of curses. Coordinated by their leaders they swiftly did so and soon, forced him to his knees. Just as he seemed to give in, the giant cast his axe away into one of the groups. Screaming they jumped into all directions and the giant, seeing his chance pulled himself up and ran down the main road into the night. Loud triumphant cheering came from the ministry officials, but a voice louder than all the others screamed: "Dementors!".   
Everyone looked up and indeed, Dementors began to circle the group.   
"Stay in formation!" Repeated Moody.   
"We can drive them off! Everyone who can produce a shaped patronus into the front row! Ready, together!" Round about forty different animals of white light leapt from the tips of wands and into the night, thrashing the oncoming horde. Those who couldn't conjure fully shaped patroni deflected Dementors whenever they tried to come swooping down from above with blasts of white light. Be it the their quick advance or the fact that they all stood together, a positivity filled the air that the enemy couldn't smother and so they succeeded in driving the last of the dark cloaked monsters away. Relieved but exhausted they rested for a moment, then they heard someone come down one of the roads which led to the square. Quickly they reassembled, but to their relief it was Lucinda Williamson. "Alastor!" She shouted and fought her way through the crowd.   
"Williamson, we thought you were-"   
"Hah! Not yet!" She grinned grimly. "Rosier leads this assault." She said to him and caught her breath.   
"Rosier?"   
"Yes, I unmasked him and so far he is the highest ranking death eater who we identified… by far."   
"Any idea where he's hiding?" Asked Moody, feeling a tickling in his hand to grab his wand and run off to search him.   
"West, we think. Elvira went off with a couple of us to find him." Moody nodded and squeezed his eyes, the strengthening solution began to wear off.   
"Right, right…um. Yes. Frank, Gawain! Come here! Lucinda says Rosier is west of here, leading the enemy. If we move all our forces there he'll escape as soon as it looks like we're gaining the upper hand. You two and I are going behind enemy lines and take him out. Cut the head off the snake. Lucinda, you're staying here. Surely they will push back shortly. Coordinate this lot and stand fast. Should we not return, push on as much as you can and keep trying to call for reinforcements." She nodded and went off. "Right you two, lets hope we'll find that flobberworm and hopefully Elvira too."


	5. When the Battle's Lost and Won

As quietly as possible the three Aurors disappeared from the throng into a side lane, heading westwards. They hadn't come far before they heard screeching and slurping noises unmistakably coming from ghouls. Carefully they looked around a corner into the backyard of an apartment building and there they were: ugly, slimy with gleaming eyes, long claws and fangs. Some rampaged through large bins, spreading rubbish everywhere, others tore pieces off a dead body.  
"We can't attack them without causing a riot." Said Frank after he managed to take his eyes off the defiled corpse.  
"Aye," said Moody. "Best to take the long way around the building. Even if we have to go along the street for a while.." Wands at the ready and eyes peeled they treaded as carefully as possible along the pavement, taking cover behind fences and cars. As they approached a crossing, Gawain stopped and pointed at the middle of the crossroads. "What is that?" He asked.  
Someone kneeled on the asphalt…someone oddly familiar, Elvira. A tall hodded man stood behind her. His mask had fallen off and they saw the pale scornful face of Rosier. "Come out Moody! Come here and help the good Elvira!" He laughed. "Did you like the story I planted in your friend's head?" Moody, Gawain and Frank crouched behind a turned over lorry in the darkness.  
"I'm counting till three!… One,"  
"No!" Frank jumped up and charged towards the Death eater.  
"Frank, it's a-!" Cried Elvira while Moody and Gawain leapt forward to hold him back, but too late. They heard Rosier's amused, snarling voice: "Avada Kedavra".  
A flash of green light illumed Elvira's face and she fell forward. Frank arrived sliding catching her lifeless body in his arms. Again Rosier lifted his want triumphantly smirking down at the Auror.  
"Another one! Haha! Avada-" but before he could issue the words, two spells hit him and swept him off his feet. Moody and Gawain reached Frank and grabbed him.  
"Leave her, she is… she's gone." Said Gawain with trembling voice.  
"He's right we have to get-"  
"Out of here? A bit late for that isn't it?" Snarled Rosier again as he got up again. "Don't you understand Longbottom? Lucinda lured you here! It's a trap." He grinned while ten hooded and masked figured appeared out of the shadows.  
"I got her with the Imperius and sent her right back. I knew Moody would come to take me on…presumably with his best Aurors. But I must say…this?" He asked and pointed at Frank. "That is one of your best Moody? I'm insulted."  
The Death eaters laughed and moved closer. "Get up." Growled Moody and pulled Frank up. "Back to back. On my sign."  
Rosier, who had retreated behind the line of his companions cackled loudly: "Hear that? 'On my sign.' As if you stand a chance… While we speak your friends in the town square are overrun and then this town will be razed to the ground."  
Moody was about to answer, when an explosion shook the ground and flung one of the Death eaters through the front screen of a car.  
"It's not over yet!" Shouted an elderly woman as she came charging down a road.  
"What on earth?!" Cried Rosier confused and whirled around.  
Alvina Enderby, the white curly hair dirty and blood sprinkled, her left sleeve drenched in what seemed to be her own blood and the tweed skirt ripped in several spots arrived to the surprise of everyone, to aid her colleagues. The Aurors grabbed the opportunity of momentarily confusion and attacked. Now the four wizards stood back to back, blocking and casting spells.  
"Kill them, kill them!!" Cried Rosier and sent a green light so close past Moody's left ear that he could feel the heat of the curse. Shortly after a red light swept Gawain off his feet and hurled him against a traffic light. The Death eaters seized the chance to drive them apart. In the corner of his eye Moody, who duelled with Rosier and two others, saw how Alvina knocked one of her attackers out. Moody caught the curse of one of his opponents and with a complicated wave sent it back hitting the Death eater to Rosier's right, who continued fighting for a moment, apparently not realising he was hit, then he began to scream and green tentacles sprouted out of the eye- and mouth holes in his mask. As if possessed he flailed around and tried to rip his mask off, at the same time casting spells in all directions. One of them hit another Death eater in the back and he fell over. Moody dodged one of Rosiers spells, deflected another and was about to attack as he heard Frank screaming in pain. He whirled around and saw his protege falling to the ground, hands on his face. Two Death eaters came menacingly close to him, their wands aiming at his face.  
"No!" Shouted Alvina and sent a shield charm between them while Moody fell a nearby tree right onto Rosier with a weighty slash of his wand.  
"Alvina take him away!"  
"But Alastor!"  
"That's an order!"  
"I'll come back!" Said Alvina before disapparating with Frank by her side. Meanwhile Rosier had disposed of the tree and got up. The remaining Death eaters circled the last standing Auror and sent a storm of curses against him. An explosion shook the ground and tore a flaming crater into the asphalt to Moody's left. His shield absorbed most of the blow, but a stinging pain shot through his left leg as several shrapnels pierced it and blood gushed through the fabric of his trousers. Groaning he sank onto his knee and conjured a bubble of bright light around him to deflect incoming spells. Each time one of them hit the charm the sound of ten shattering bells filled the air and the bubble shook heavily. Cracks and splits already stretched over the dome, soon it would break.  
One last curse shattered the shield charm and seven Death eaters raised their wands, ready to finish Moody.  
Yelling reached them from far away, voices other than the Death eaters sounded through the night. Suddenly several werewolves came galloping down the street and right past the ensemble. Howling they fled into the night, followed by another giant. Blinded by conjunctivitis curses he charged over the crossing and trampled two of Rosier's followers before they could jump aside. In the sky, dementors flew like dark rags away from the town and Death eaters came running and screaming from other parts of the town.  
"Reinforcements!" Shouted one before disapparating.  
All of his companions, turned to Rosier who had forgotten all about Moody, upon hearing these news.  
"Impossible…" he muttered confused. "My Lord?! Don't forsake us?!" He cried into the sky, as if praying.  
"We need to go Rosier!" Said a Death eater with husky voice to his left.  
Fear gripped the others and one after the other they disapparated.  
"Master…!" Rosier begged. "Please, I can win this still! Please my lord!"  
Someone laughed a cheerless and raw laugh.  
"He won't come your master. He knows you've failed him." Moody forced himself up again, a crooked grin on his face.  
"No…No! If I bring him your head he will…forgive!" Rosier answered.  
"Come on then!" Yelled Moody, who seemed to gain new strength from his opponent's despair.  
"I stand with you Rosier! We will be rewarded if we kill the famous Auror Alastor Moody!That in itself is a victory." Said the Death eater with the husky voice and stepped to Rosier's side.  
"Take that mask off, it doesn't take much to see it's you, Yaxley." Moody said disdainfully and raised his wand.  
The two wizards stormed forward and peppered Moody with spells, who in turn retreated behind a strong defence, compensating for his lost agility. One of Moody's counter curses shook Yaxley's shield so hard that he stumbled backwards and almost fell. In return he shot streak of purple flame against the Auror. Moody conjured a shield that deflected Yaxley's curse and clove his wand in two pieces. He screamed, wagged his hand as though he burned himself and ran off, leaving his companion to face the Auror alone. "Coward!" Yelled Moody and dispatched a yellow sizzling rope from his wand, which formed a large circle around the two duellists.  
"You're not getting away." He said, with a grin, to the now forsaken and exasperated Rosier.  
The two engaged in a wild duel, each fighter sending and blocking countless spells, Rosier deflecting most of them onto Moody's anti-apparition charm hoping to break free. Eventually in sheer desperation he whipped his wand in an extravagant motion, conjuring bright flames with a billowing roar. Moody reacted instantly and blocked, but the fire was so hot he could feel their heat radiating through the shield and scorching his skin. The flames rebounded, almost breaking the shield and flew against the yellow rope, which dissolved in an explosion. Instead of extinguishing, the flames sprung onto everything flammable around them and devoured it. Both Moody and Rosier were flung back and onto the ground. Soon the crossing was encircled in flames as if the two were in midst of a bright arena. Moody groaned exhaustedly while getting up, blood running from the corner of his mouth. The two wizards raised their wands, each aiming at the other's hearts. Without warning, at the same time, a sizzling blue lightning bolt erupted from the tip of Moody's wand while Rosiers curse broke forth. The last thing Alastor Moody saw, was Rosier's surprised face as the curse swept him off his feet and catapulted him into his own Fiendfyre. Then, blinding pain and everything went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rosier  
> The Rosier in this story is NOT Evan Rosier, who died around 1980/81-ish in a duel with Moody. I decided to use the Rosier who was (potentially) one of Tom's "peers" at school, a member of the Knights of Walpurgis and later in Hogsmeade to accompany Tom to his job interview with Dumbledore. I figured that he might be Evan's father and would by that time be quite an accomplished dark sorcerer perhaps having learned a thing or two from Voldemort himself. Him being one of the Dark Lord's first/original followers would justify putting him in command of this mission and also provides a worthy adversary to leave such extreme marks on Moody. 
> 
> Frank and Alice  
> I thought it unlikely that Neville's parents would be the same age as the Marauders and Lily, since we know they were quite talented Aurors and well respected in the magical community. Since we know that it takes extra training and exams to become a fleshed out hunter of dark wizards, it might take another couple of years after Hogwarts until you properly start your career. In my story I imagined both well versed, but still young and not as experienced as Kingsley or any of the other Aurors. However they stood their ground facing enemies far superior and fought valiantly. I pictured both as sort of protégés of Moody, which explains why he kept them as close as possible and always had a watchful eye on them.
> 
> Kingsley and Gawain  
> Although Kingsley was undoubtedly younger and less experienced than when we saw him in Harry Potter, I think that he was an enormously strong Auror. I tried to underline that idea by leaving him the only survivors of a giant's attack and unbeaten in duels. The only reason he was dismissed before the end of the battle was because Moody feared he might be too exhausted to continue the fight. Additionally he survived mostly unscathed, while others like Elvira were captured and killed.  
> Gawain Robards is mentioned as Rufus Scrimgeour's successor in leading the Auror Office in the Half-Blood Prince. For me that indicates his ability and strength and I thought he'd make a good addition to the team.
> 
> Dementors  
> I know, I know the Dementors weren't used by Voldemort during the first war. Otherwise we can assume that the Ministry wouldn't have continued to use them as prison guards. For quite some time I considered bringing in other kinds of dark creatures like Erklings, Vampires, Trolls and Gytrashes, but it felt like making even more of an apocalypse than I already wrote. In the end I decided to use Dementors because they add a great uncertainty to the battle, threatening to overrun the Ministry because everyone is despairing. Please excuse this violation.
> 
> The Battle  
> At times I felt like being on the brink of writing more of a middle earth styled battle than a skirmish in the wizarding world, however as is repeatedly mentioned in the HP books, during the first war Voldemort was immensely powerful. His ranks were filled with Giants, Werewolves (not trying to stigmatise them) and other dark creatures. Furthermore his Death Eaters were numerous, creating literally an army. One reason her tries to operate in secrecy during the second war is because he isn't nearly as powerful/influential as the first time. If we take this in account we can upscale the battlefields accordingly. Besides that I felt like such a battle would attract minor creatures, who usually are no threat but as soon as they grow in numbers are quite nasty like red caps and ghouls.


End file.
